Boreas Ponds Tract

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• Open for recreation: Year-round
• Fee: Free
• Contact Information:
  • DEC Region 5 Ray Brook Office: 518-897-1200 (M-F 8:30 to 4:45) Info.R5@dec.ny.gov
  • Backcountry Emergencies: 518-891-0235 or 911 (24/7)
  • Enforcement Matters: 1-833-NYS-RANGERS (1-833-697-7264) or 911
• Location: Towns of Newcomb and North Hudson, Essex County
• Wildlife Management Unit: 5F
• Map: Boreas Ponds Tract Map (PDF) || Boreas Ponds Equestrian Trails Map (GeoPDF) - GeoPDF Instructions || Google Earth || DECinfo Locator

A large portion of the Boreas Ponds Tract is a lowland area between the North River Mountain Range to the west and the Boreas Mountain Range to the east. The summits of the Boreas Mountain Range are on the tract. Spectacular views of these mountain ranges and mountains in the High Peaks Wilderness - such as Marcy, Haystack, Gothics, and Saddleback - can be seen from a number of locations.

Boreas Ponds, the namesake of the tract, form a 320-acre body of water, now one of the largest in the park completely surrounded by Forest Preserve. Other waters on the tract include LaBier Flow, Boreas River, LeClaire Brook, Casey Brook, Slide Brook and White Lily Brook, which provide habitat for cold water fish, including brook trout.

Parking is allowed in designated parking spots in designated parking areas only. Parking on the shoulders of Gulf Brook Road or Boreas Road is prohibited.

Backcountry Information for the High Peaks Region provides general information regarding backcountry and seasonal conditions; specific notices regarding closures and conditions of trails, roads, bridges and other infrastructure; and links to weather, state land use regulations, low impact recreation and more.

Featured Activities

Hiking

General information on hiking includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules & regulations.

No trails have been designated or marked at this time, however hiking is permitted on all roadways within the tract.

Camping

General information on backcountry camping includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules & regulations.

No tent sites have been designated, but all of the lands are open to backcountry camping provided campsites are more than 150 feet from any roadway or body of water.

A newly constructed lean-to resides in the clearing where the former lodge was once built. A trail has not yet been constructed to the lean-to but users can access the lean-to via the old access road. The lean-to is approximately 2 miles in from the Four Corners Parking Area.

Campers who desire more amenities may camp at the nearby Lake Harris Campground or Sharp Bridge Campground and take day trips into the Boreas Ponds.

Paddling

General information on paddling includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules & regulations.

LaBier Flow and Boreas Ponds are attractive waters for paddling and can be accessed from the parking areas along Gulf Brook Road. Paddlers can use the staging area at the first LaBier Flow water access site to unload their gear, then they may park at the Four-Corners Parking area approximately 500 feet beyond here. There is a 0.5-mile carry between LaBier Flow and the Boreas Ponds, or a 0.75-mile carry between the Four Corners Parking area and Boreas Ponds.

Horseback Riding

General information on horseback riding includes safety tips and rules & regulations.

Approximately 17 miles of seven roadways are open to horse and horse drawn wagons, including:

• 2.9 miles of the Branch Road;
• 6.7 miles of Gulf Brook Road and the roadway to the Boreas Road;
• 3.0 miles of the Boreas Road off the Gulf Brook Road;
• 2.0 miles of the Boreas Road, towards White Lily Pond;
• 3.0 miles of the Boreas Road beyond the Boreas Ponds Dam

Proof of current negative Coggins certificate is required for all horses and out-of-state horse owners are required to produce a 30-day health certificate. Horseback riders and horse drawn wagon riders should be aware that motor vehicles may drive on Gulf Brook Road.

Biking

General information on biking includes how-to and safety tips with links to rules & regulations.

Electric bicycles (E-bikes) of any class are not allowed on trails and roadways where public motorized access is prohibited.

6.7 miles of roadway is open to bicycling from Blue Ridge Road to the Boreas PondsParking Area, mostly on the Gulf Brook Road. Bikers can pedal shorter distances to the Boreas Ponds Parking Area by parking in one of the parking areas along the Gulf Brook Road.

Bikes are prohibited beyond the gate at the Boreas Ponds Parking Area, which is located 500 feet before the dam

Fishing

General information on fishing includes fishing tips with links to seasons, rules & regulations. You can ensure of continued good fishing opportunities in the future by fishing responsibly. If you have never been fishing but want to try, it's easy to learn how to fish.

All waters within the Boreas Ponds Tract are open to fishing. Anglers may use the parking areas and hand launches used by paddlers to access the lands and waters in this area. The use of baitfish is prohibited in all waters of the Boreas Ponds Tract. Motor boats, including electric motors, are also prohibited on all waters.

Boreas Ponds contain brook trout, brown bullhead and sunfish and can be accessed from any of the Gulf Brook Trailheads via Gulf Brook Road, LaBier Flow and the roadway to the Boreas Ponds Dam.

LaBier Flow contains brook trout, brown bullhead and sunfish and can be accessed from any of the Gulf Brook Trailheads via Gulf Brook Road.

The Branch contains brook trout and can be accessed from Elk Lake Road Fishing Access Parking Area and the Elk Lake Road Upper Parking Area currently via a bushwhack as no trails have been established.

NOTE: Anglers may see landlocked Atlantic salmon below legal size while fishing The Branch. The salmon are stocked as fry and The Branch serves as nursery habitat. The salmon grow and develop in this small stream before migrating downstream to Schroon Lake.

Adirondack/Lake Champlain Fishing provides information on fishing in the Adirondacks and links to top fishing waters, stocking lists, public fishing access and waters open to ice fishing listed by county.

Help Protect Native Adirondack Fish; populations of brook trout, round whitefish and other native Adirondack fish species have severely declined due to introduced fish.

Hunting & Trapping

General information on hunting and general information on trapping includes how-to and safety tips with links to seasons, rules & regulations.

All lands within the Boreas Ponds Tract are open to hunting and trapping. Hunters and trappers may use the parking areas, roadways, seasonal access roads, and hand launches used by paddlers to access the lands and waters in this area.

Big game present include white-tailed deer and black bear. Small game includes varying (snowshoe) hare, ruffed grouse and woodcock.

Cross-Country Skiing & Snowshoeing

General information on cross-country skiing and snowshoeing includes how-to and safety tips and links to rules & regulations

No trails have been designated or marked at this time, however cross-country skiing and snowshoeing are permitted on all roadways and lands within the tract.

Wildlife

General information on animals includes links to information about birds, mammals, fish, reptiles, amphibians and insects that inhabit or migrate through the state.

The Adirondacks contain large tracts of wildlife habitat with some boreal, bog, alpine and other unique habitats. Many species of birds and mammals are unique to the Adirondacks or are mainly found here. More than 50 species of mammals and hundreds of species of birds inhabit or pass through the Adirondacks at one time of the year or another so it is not unlikely to catch site of wildlife during your trip. Moose have been seen and photographed along the Boreas Tract.

More information on Adirondack flora and fauna (leaves DEC Website) is available from the SUNY ESF Adirondack Ecological Center.

You can protect wildlife and wildlife habitat when viewing them.

Wildlife Found in the Adirondacks

• Mammals
  • Moose
  • Black Bear
  • Beaver
  • Eastern Coyote
  • River Otter
  • White-Tailed Deer
  • Little Brown Bat
• Birds
  • Bald Eagle
  • Common Loon
  • Peregrine Falcon
  • Osprey
  • Great Horned Owl
  • Great Blue Heron
  • Wild Turkey
  • Eastern Bluebird

Directions

All coordinates provided are in decimal degrees using NAD83/WGS84 datum.

Parking and Directions Areas

*Parking along Gulf Brook Rd. to Boreas Ponds is allowed in designated parking spots at parking areas only. Parking along the roadway is prohibited. If the Four Corners Parking Area is full, users must back track to the next available parking area.

• Andrew Brook Road Road Parking Area is located along the Blue Ridge Road. (43.9536°N, 73.8910°W) Google Maps (leaves DEC website)
• Blue Ridge Parking Area (Gulf Brook Road Entrance) is located along the Blue Ridge Road. (43.9557°N, 73.8678°W) Google Maps (leaves DEC website)
• Fly Pond Parking Area is located on the seasonal access Gulf Brook Road. (43.9809°N, 73.9000°W) Google Maps (leaves DEC website)
• Four Corners Parking Area is located at the intersection of Gulf Brook Rd and Boreas Rd. (44.0000°N, 73.9429°W) Google Maps (leaves DEC website)
• Elk Lake Road Fishing Access Parking Area is located on the Elk Lake Road. (43.9645°N, 73.8200°W) Google Maps (leaves DEC website)
• Elk Lake Road Upper Parking Area is located on the Elk Lake Road. (43.9899°N, 73.8299°W) Google Maps (leaves DEC website)

Rules, Regulations and Outdoor Safety

Practice Leave No Trace principles (Leaves DEC website) when recreating in the Adirondacks to enjoy the outdoors responsibly, minimize impact on the natural resources and avoid conflicts other backcountry users.

All users of Boreas Ponds Tract must follow all State Land Use Regulations and should follow all Outdoor Safety Practices for the safety of the user and protection of the resource.

The public is prohibited from entering any leased camps or trespassing on the surrounding one-acre envelope.

Planning and Management

The lands in the Boreas Pond Tract fall within two Forest Preserve management units. 9,118 acres are part of the Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest. This includes lands 500 feet north of Gulf Brook and Boreas Ponds Roads, the roads themselves, and the land south of the roads. The Wild Forest lands extend east to Elk Lake Road, encompassing Gulf Brook, Ragged Mountain, The Branch River and a section of the Boreas River.

11,412 acres are part of the High Peaks Wilderness. This includes the lands around the Boreas Ponds with the exception of a Wild Forest Corridor and Primitive Area that provide for public motor vehicle access closer to the ponds and administrative access to the dam respectively.

The lands classified as Wild Forest and Primitive will be managed in accordance with the 2018 Amendment to the Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest Unit Management Plan (PDF, 10 MB) and the lands classified as Wilderness will be managed in accordance with the 2018 Amendment to the High Peaks Wilderness Complex Unit Management Plan (PDF, 6 MB).

Nearby State Lands, Facilities, Amenities, and Other Information

State Lands and Facilities

• Hammond Pond Wild Forest
• High Peaks Wilderness
• Vanderwhacker Mountain Wild Forest
• Camp Santanoni Historic Area
• Lake Harris Campground
• Sharp Bridge Campground

Where to Find Nearby Amenities

• Gas and food can be obtained in North Hudson.
• Dining is available in Newcomb.
• Lodging is available in Newcomb and North Hudson.

Adirondack Regional Tourism Council (leaves DEC website) and Essex County/Lake Placid Tourism (leaves DEC website) can provide information about other recreation, attractions and amenities in this area.

Numerous guide ooks and maps are available with information on the lands, waters, trails and other recreational facilities in this area. These can be purchased at most outdoor equipment retailers, bookstores, and on-line booksellers.

Additional information, outdoor equipment, trip suggestions and guided or self-guided tours may be obtained from outdoor guide and outfitting businesses. Check area chambers of commerce, telephone directories or search the internet for listings.

Consider hiring an outdoor guide if you have little experience or woodland skills. See the NYS Outdoor Guides Association (Leaves DEC Website) for information on outdoor guides.